I'll spend minimal time discussing the plot: a. because that's not what reviews are really for, and b. plot doesn't really matter in a movie like Wanted. The story centers around Wesley Gibson, played by James McAvoy (The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last King of Scotland), an overly-anxious office worker that's being served the worst life can possibly offer. Wesley's life, however, quickly becomes something much more than he ever could have dreamed. He comes to learn that his father, recently murdered, was the greatest assassin in the world. Wesley is recruited by The Fraternity, an elite group of assassins, of which his father was one. He is informed that it is his destiny to follow in his father's footsteps, and he is steered towards this destiny by Fox (Angelina Jolie) and Sloan (Morgan Freeman).
That's pretty much all the plot that anyone needs to know before seeing the movie. And, like I said, this movie does not rely on a heavily detailed and elaborate plot, and it doesn't need to. The special effects are second-to-none and well executed. People manipulate bullets, cars, and themselves in ways I would have never thought possible. In fact, most of the stunts that take place are not very realistic, but who cares! It's still a whole lot of fun to watch and think how cool it would be if you could do it. This movie and its creators and actors know exactly what it is, an action-packed, full-throttle adrenaline rush for the eyes and ears. It doesn't try to be anything more or less, and that is where it succeeds. I have seen action movies that have tried to be dramatic and artful, and I have seen more serious films try to highlight action elements. It just doesn't work. Wanted enthusiastically embraces its place in the genre of jaw-dropping action.
One place that Wanted also stands surprisingly tall in is its comedic elements. In fact, I found myself laughing out loud, with the rest of the audience, several times. For anyone who has seen Office Space, you will greatly appreciate a lot of these comedy moments. And it's not just the office scenes that are funny. There are quite a few hilarious moments during the action sequences; whether it be facial expressions or one-liners, they all hit their mark almost perfectly.
To sum up, Wanted is pure candy! It's candy for the eyes, the ears, and even for the soul. It provides the perfect 2 hour escape from the real world and allows us to bask in its unabashed energy. A large number of critics will say that the lack of a plot makes it a poor movie. As I've said, plot is not what's important to this movie. What's important to this movie is giving its audience a good time and giving them their money's worth and, in this, it succeeds. Besides, a little bit of candy every once in awhile is good for you.
For my movie reviews, I will be using a 4 star rating system. Basically, anything rated 3 stars and up, I recommend seeing and is worth spending your time and money on. Anything below 3 stars has problems; the severity of the problems will determine how few stars it gets. So, with a 3 and a half star rating, I highly recommend Wanted. It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn close.
Until next time....
